Conventional chain link fences are typically made of interwoven wires that are used as a fence fabric. Weaving the wires together often forms familiar diamond-shaped openings that are apparent when fabric is spread out and tensioned between two posts. Vertical and diagonal channels are also usually formed that extend in directions within the plane of the face of the fence. Various types of slats can be inserted into the channels formed by chain link fences for the purpose of obscuring the view through the fence and for providing a greater level of privacy.
The fence fabric is typically supported by posts that are set into the ground and by a horizontal support rail that is supported in turn by the posts. The fence fabric can be tensioned by including vertical tensioning rods in vertical channels (that are usually near each ends of a section of fabric) and by securing under tension one or both of the vertical tensioning rods in opposing ends of the fence fabric to the posts.
Fences are often provided for the purpose of security. However, the wire of a fence fabric is usually of sufficiently small diameter to allow cutting of the wire with common wire cutters and/or bolt cutters. This ease-of-cutting allows fencing to be easily cut by people who wish to breach the security provided by the fence.